Commercially sold beverages are typically distributed with the liquid to be consumed disposed within a unitary inner volume of a beverage container. The beverage container and the inner volume thereof are initially sealed from the environment by a primary sealing mechanism, such as a cap, a lid, or a cork. Once the primary sealing mechanism is removed, such as by twisting off the cap of a carbonated beverage container or by pulling the cork of a wine bottle, the entire contents of the beverage container are exposed to the outside environment and the generally deleterious effects thereof.
Carbonated beverages, such as soda and beer, are best enjoyed with their intended level of carbonation. The very opening of the carbonated beverage container releases a portion of the original carbonation and begins a decline in carbonation that is irreversible by typically available means. Unless the entire contents of the container are consumed substantially immediately, the contents of a vessel left open, of vessels repeatedly opened and closed, and even of vessels once opened that are attempted to be sealed inevitably undergoes a loss in carbonation and a loss in the intended original, fresh flavor. Exposure to the environment and the introduction of environmental air to the fixed, unitary inner volume of the vessel leave the remaining contents subject to a decline in quality. Carbonated beverages that have lost their carbonation are typically said to be ‘flat’ and are undesirable. Indeed, once flat, partially consumed carbonated beverages are often deemed so distasteful as to be unsuitable for consumption and are wasted.
Some volumes of beverage vessels, such as bottles holding twelve, sixteen, or even twenty ounces, can often be consumed in one sitting so that the progressive loss in carbonation and overall freshness has minimal impact. However, with larger containers, such as two-liter plastic bottles and similarly large containers, it is unlikely that the contents can be consumed when the bottle is first opened. As a result, the contents of such beverage containers are often discarded, or the consumer is subjected to consuming the contents remaining in the vessel even when they are flat and of reduced quality.
Similar issues are presented by other comestible liquids and flowable substances. For instance, as soon as wine is exposed to air, the wine begins to oxidize. Wine, particularly fine wine, may desirably be aerated when initially opened, such as by decanting, to bring out the flavors and aroma of the liquid. Where the contents of a wine bottle are not entirely consumed, oxidation will continue, eventually leading to spoilage and loss.
A number of inventors have sought to provide multi-chamber beverage containers, often with the goal of permitting a selective mixing of multiple separate substances and sometimes with the goal of permitting access to a volume of flowable material in a first chamber while preserving a volume of material in a second chamber against exposure to ambient air until it is ready for consumption.
For example, with United States Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0254936, Corbitt et al. describe a “Beverage Container” with an open top selectively closed by a cap and two separate compartments in upper and lower sections of the bottle. The compartments are joined by a rotary coupler. Twisting the top and bottom sections in opposite direction is said to open a mixing valve in a mid-portion of the bottle. Opening the mixing valve permits the user to mix the liquids or other flowable materials in the two chambers. Disadvantageously, the disclosed mixing valve is relatively complex in structure and operation. Moreover, inadvertent relative twisting of the top and bottom sections will lead to a premature and undesirable mixing of the materials.
With the method and device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,824, entitled “Process and device for preserving carbonation of carbonated beverage during consumption,” Qian et al. sought to preserve the carbonation of carbonated beverages. Under that invention, a user is expected to join an airtight closed container with a volume smaller than the beverage bottle with the beverage bottle through a connecting sleeve, an adapter, and a sealing mechanism. For the system to work in preventing a loss in carbonation within the bottle, the closed container must be joined with the bottle in an airtight manner so that a volume of beverage can be poured into the container without losing carbonation. Unfortunately, it would appear that misapplication of the device would lead to a loss in carbonation even more quickly than with a traditional beverage cap. Moreover, even assuming the method and device to be effective when perfectly applied, it is clear that use of the device requires some level of expertise and attention to detail. It is equally clear that the device is complicated structurally. Maintaining the components of the device together and in good working order would appear to represent a challenge even to the diligent user.
Still, further, in Brazilian Publication No. PI9802427-2, filed on 16 Jul. 1998, entitled “Valve for plastic bottles of carbonated soft drinks,” an injected plastic valve is said to allow the withdrawal of liquid without a loss in gas. The structure has a lower body with a threaded connection to permit the valve to be fixed to the bottle. A buffer atop the structure serves as a button to permit the valve to be opened, and the valve closes by spring action on release of the button. Still further, an inner tube projects toward the bottom of the bottle to prevent gas from escaping and depressurizing the bottle. Opening the valve permits liquid to flow from the nozzle. Unfortunately, this device and devices like it require a foreign article to be inserted into the beverage, and they again require perfect application and operation for the system to prevent a wholesale loss of pressure and carbonation.
In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the long felt need continues for an efficient and elegant system and method for reliably preserving the contents of beverage and other containers against loss of carbonation and spoliation. While a number of talented inventors have attempted to provide solutions, those solutions have proven to be complex, difficult to operate, or otherwise insufficient to meet the recognized needs in the field of beverage preservation.